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How To Keep New Year Resolutions

January 1, 2012 by · Comments Off on How To Keep New Year Resolutions 

How To Keep New Year ResolutionsHow To Keep New Year Resolutions, It’s easy to come up with ways to improve yourself —from the American Academy of Pediatrics (brush twice a day) to the American Cancer Society (stop smoking). But are resolutions still in vogue? Some Jacksonville residents support New Year’s resolutions and others are a bit more skeptical.

Anthony Stephens, executive director of Jacksonville UNITE, has specific goals for next year — like creating political momentum, buying a school building, and feeding hungry people — with resolutions like improving his organization, networking and follow-up on projects to help him achieve those goals.

“In my opinion, goals have an action plan with steps and achievement markers,” he said.

“They are measurable. Resolutions seem to be more of an adjustment to those steps. So, a person may call it a resolution to ‘lose weight’ but in my mind it’s a goal. A resolution would be ‘I’m going to exercise more,’ accomplishing their goal of ‘losing weight.’”

Saif Mouilish, owner of Safeco Fast Stop gas station and Village Market grocery store, is skeptical of New Year’s resolutions, which he said are becoming more like April Fools jokes.

“It seems like nine out of 10 times, you never go through with it,” he said. “It gets dropped in the first week of January.”

Resolutions have become more of a temporary thought for unattainable goals, Mouilish said.
“I’ve made goals in the past and never followed through with them,” he said.

He isn’t opposed to setting goals; he has future plans for himself, his family and his career and he works hard to achieve them, but it’s not based on the new year.

Kina Shoemaker agreed.

“I’ve set a million resolutions and I set myself up for disappointment,” she said. “I just take it one day at a time.”

While the motive for some New Year’s resolutions are based on temporary occasions, they are about an attitude or lifestyle.

For example, Patrick Doyle resolves to get back in shape this year. He plans to travel to Spain this summer and wants to look good for the trip.

He doesn’t set New Year’s resolutions every year; “it’s kind of arbitrary,” he said.

Jacksonville Police Department Patrolman Mark Lonergan’s resolution is also to get back in shape. He intends to keep this resolution by going back to the gym, eating healthier and cutting out all the fast food in his diet.

“As long as you have goals and work toward them, that’s probably more important than a resolution,” he said. “Try not to overwhelm yourself with too many goals.”

Jackie Pool wants to look on the bright side in 2012.

“I am going to take advantage of the new year,” she said. “My resolution is to realize that the past is the past and the future is always brighter — to learn from my mistakes and to carry on with my life. 2012 is going to be a year of changes, a year for learning and a year of new beginnings. Life is precious and I am ready to take it on, full speed ahead.”

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